Our traditional socialization took different forms in communicating lessons based on our way of life. There are many lessons that are gleaned from storytelling, proverbs, and various analogies. One popular character of this subject is Kwaku Ananse and his children; Ntekuma, Afudohwedehwe, among others. These are dynamic characters that represented various character traits, from being wise, cunning, to greedy. In community story telling events, mmoguo (musical interludes) were sang based on the storyline, and these helped us to assimilate the message while enjoying the stories.
So, the other day my mind was wandering, and it latched on an old nursery song which I loved very much from when I attended nursery school. My first thoughts after singing it was, well this is quite violent for a nursery song.
It’s a Twi one and I think it might be a hunting song. It goes like this…
Dabi mi k)r nwuramu …. Kenyika (I went to the bush one day/I went hunting)
Mek)r hu saman…. Kenyika (I saw by a ghost)
Saman nkitinkiti…. Kenyika (A midget ghost)
Na mesuro ooo… Kenyika (I was afraid)
Na mesuro paa…kenyika (I was terrified)
)pumaa ne tuo…. kenyika (It cocked its gun)
Me nso me pomaa me tuo…kenyika (I also cocked my gun)
Odehw3 meso…kenyika (It aimed at me)
Meso mi dehw3 ne so… kenyika (I also aimed at it)
Katikatika Kati pooo (Tit for tat, we shot at each other)
The first line indicates that a person goes to the bush. The personalization of the “mi” is important to note here as it allows pupils to embody the persona of the hunter. As one can glean, the persona of the poem is a hunter. A hunter who goes to the bush/forest to hunt and then meets a ghost. We know the persona is a hunter because he carries a gun and guns were mostly associated with hunters and hunting in pre-colonial Ghana.
Ghost stories are childhood staples in our traditional Ghanaian set up. Their purpose is mainly to scare children into doing the right thing. As people who have done evil deeds are continually chased by the ghosts of their victims in such stories. Encountering a ghost in the forest therefore does not usually bode good fortune. In a few stories however, ghosts could deliver messages from yonder to warn one about an incident or give direction about a challenge.
The song goes ahead to indicate the encounter with the ghost was a scary one. This was especially so because the ghost aimed a gun at the hunter, the plot twist here is that the hunter also took out his gun and aimed it back at the ghost. They both fire at each other and that is how the poem ends. In nursery school that this poem was performed with a partner where you formed an imaginary gun with your hand and shot at your partner.
This is where I find the song troubling but in pre-colonial Ghana where hunting and farming was a huge part of life and ghost stories were childhood staples, is it out of place for a nursery song to have the main character be a ghost aiming at a hunter?
On the surface while this song may simply be a hunting song, it could also be a metaphor illustrating courage. It is rare to hear stories of a hunter pointing a gun at a ghost, albeit a midget ghost. This is especially interesting as the song emphasizes how scared the hunter was. It might have taken a lot of courage for the hunter to aim back at the ghost. As ghosts are supposed to be ephemeral creatures. The fact that the song ends at the shoot out without letting on who died and who didn’t perhaps point to the fact that the song is less about gun shootouts and rather one of courage.
While I initially thought this song was an unsuitable for children in Ghanaian schools, I have come to appreciate how our spiritual, traditional, moral and economic lives are intricately woven in this song The hunter with the gun reflects an economic orientation, while the ghost with the gun presents a spiritual dimension. While not knowing the exact origins of this poem, it explains the Akan people’s views and their belief in the existence in the invisible realm. It also presents a tale of great courage.
This poem could also be a huge mystical joke which is just supposed to have a comedic effect considering how a ghost is wielding a gun and I might be pushing it a bit too far.
Nursery rhymes and songs such as these are narratives that have shaped our lives and worldviews, irrespective of how haunting the stories might have been. However, is it okay to say that “dabi mi k)r nwuramu” should be banned in schools indicating that it has outlived its purpose and has violent connotations? Especially as teachers do not explain any figurative meaning the poem may have. Will the next generation be violent if they have to sing this nursery song in school? With gun violence around the world, children singing about guns and “shooting” fellow friends does not feel right but then also in the Ghanaian setting, where gun violence is almost non-existent, does it make any difference? As banishing this song will also mean losing an important part of folk music.
Did you sing this song in nursery? What are your thoughts?
Source of featured image: A.A Anti, Bureau of Ghana Languages.
